


A Heady Draught

by Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Crafts, Gen, Golden Age (Narnia), Pagan Gods, Traditions, Wine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2015-08-30
Packaged: 2018-04-18 01:35:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4687448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenfalling/pseuds/Elizabeth%20Culmer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Fauns of Narnia attempt to reclaim their winemaking heritage after the long winter. Bacchus takes an interest in the results.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Heady Draught

**Author's Note:**

  * For [songsmith](https://archiveofourown.org/users/songsmith/gifts).



> This is probably not the artisan craft you were thinking of, but it's the first thing that came to mind. *sheepish*

"Ho, the house!" a bright voice called, and Tumnus turned in the mouth of the cave to find a seemingly human youth followed by a host of mostly naked women dancing up the path to his cousins' new-built winery.

"My lord Bacchus!" he said, and managed not to drop his tasting glass in surprise. "Where have-- that is-- Narnia has looked for you since the Witch was overthrown these two years gone."

One of the Maenads hissed at his implied affront to her lord, but the god stilled her with a careless wave of his hand. "I come in my own time," Bacchus said, his teeth gleaming sharp in his merry smile. "And my time, it seems, is now -- if indeed what you are holding is the first new wine fermented since the long winter."

"I would say _one of_ the first rather than _the_ first," Tumnus said, still nervous in the face of his people's patron, "but yes. Only a few of us Fauns remember the old days firsthand, but we have our fathers' recipes and we have the magic you granted our people in the first days of the world. I hope we haven't disgraced ourselves too badly."

They had tried so very hard, poured so much of their souls into this craft they had never had the chance to learn at their fathers' sides. They had agonized for days over the balance of grapes from the various vineyards Aslan had revived with his coming, argued long over the curing of the oak barrel staves, the temperature of the caves, when to skim and press the must, the source and type of yeast, and every other step along the way. He prayed their effort would meet the god's approval, even if the results were as yet too young to be worth drinking.

Tumnus drew another sample from the barrel -- the wine swirled rich and red into the little glass, its bouquet promising despite the raw, unsteady roughness that he himself had tasted only a minute ago -- and held his breath as the god raised the glass to his lips.

Bacchus rolled the vintage around his tongue with a considering air. Then he smiled. "Another ten years and I wouldn't mind serving this at my own table. But for now, call your cousins out from their work and _I'll_ provide the refreshments. I am come to Narnia again, and today the whole land will relearn my dance."

As Tumnus trotted further into the caves in search of his cousins and the handful of Dwarfs who had joined their enterprise, the Maenads struck up a song to the accompaniment of a tambourine and wooden flute. The music lent speed to his hooves and hunger to his heart -- the god's favor, spreading outward to call all those within earshot to his revel -- and Tumnus gave shaky thanks that their labor had not been in vain.


End file.
